


Equilibrium

by Lapithot



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alchemy, Almost Drowning, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Amputee Peridot (Steven Universe), Angst, Diamond Authority - Freeform, F/F, Implied Relationships, LGBT characters, Peridot has anxiety, Short Chapters, Slow Burn, almost everyone else is human, amethyst and Peridot are really close friends, everyones gay, healing alchemy, lapis is some sort of cryptid water lady, will add more characters as theyre introduced
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-17 14:38:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14191185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lapithot/pseuds/Lapithot
Summary: Equilibrium:/noun/A state in which two opposing forces or influences are balancedPeridot is an alchemists apprentice and a vagabond with a criminal past. Lapis Lazuli is a cryptic being and one of the last of her kind. Both have to find a way to live in harmony and flee from the Diamonds iron grip on humanity. Along with a ragtag group of rebels, its her job to save the life of a fish lady she can't help but fall for.My Tumblr





	1. Clockwork Routine

The sky was a deep purple, casting gaunt shadows on the ground below. The tall oak trees swayed in the breeze, leaves rustling, threatening to fall but never quite accomplishing it. Peridot sighed angrily as she trudged through the dark woods, satchel handing loosely around her skinny shoulders, filled with herbs and bark and other substances she knew Rose would be pleased to see. But Rose's praise was really the last thing on her mind right now. The cold wind bit through her thin shirt as she stepped deeper into the woods. A quick glance behind her showed that her paranoia was in vain as no one would dare follow her into such a secluded area at night. But Peridot knew this land like the back of her hand, and easily maneuvered through the winding trees. No one could catch her here. She was safe. For now. 

Peridot was lucky Rose lived in such a secluded area in the vast coastal city. A tiny wooden house built into a neat corner. Adjacent to the rumbling ocean and mountains of pale sand. And to the left was the city, a ten minute walk, depending on how quickly you could travel. Peridot had little legs so calculating the amount of time one could move from the city to the little house was drastically off for anyone above her height. Which was, to her dismay, the vast majority of people who lived nearby. To the back of the house was the woods she had become so familiar with. Often she'd walk into them in the mornings before anyone else was up, and gather little plants and fresh water for the others. Sure, her housemates greatly appreciated her work, but she could never bring herself to get closer to them. She had too much on the line for that. If she caved in and confessed to her crimes she'd be run out of the city for sure. Or even worse; handed back over to the Diamonds. 

A shudder came over her slim body just at the thought of the Diamonds looming over her tiny frame. Yellows thick heels clicking against the marble floors of her palace, the long strides she took before stopping before the useless lump that was herself. Oh, what she would do to her if she caught her little Peridot. Torture was definitely up there, Yellow would make sure she led a slow and painful death. 

Before the blonde knew it, her little house sprung into view and she sighed quietly to herself because she knew as soon as she stepped through the door, her thoughts would dissipate into thin air. Peridot knew that leaving herself alone in her thoughts was a very risky thing to do. And the best thing to do was to surround herself with her noisy housemates and her wise superior and forget about her past. Adjusting the strap on her satchel so that it sat comfortably at her hip, she continued to walk forward towards her home away from home. The thick undergrowth of the woods slowly turned into soft sand that her mud caked boots sunk into with each short, quick step, and she grunted at the sudden shift and propelled herself forward to try and get inside quicker. 

Peridot had always hated the sand, she wasn't even sure why she had decided to live in a coastal city, considering how close it was to the great body of water in which she despised. And the sand always managed to get into her boots, no matter how secure they were, it pissed her off to no end. It also made it harder for her to escape if anyone where to find out about her little hiding place. Taking a boat out to sea had never been an option, although she hated to admit it out loud, she was deathly afraid of the ocean and refused to take a single step in it. Peridot let out a deep breath as soon as her boots hit the rough wood of the steps leading up to the house. She quickly climbed up them, using the banister to pull her weight and force her aching legs up until eventually she was at the door.

The building was pretty shabby, to say the least. It was made entirely out of a combination of wood and stone, the foundation of the building was quite sturdy but the planks of wood that made up the majority of the roof was starting to fall apart. There was a large window beside the door, the glass was stained and slightly broken in one corner. A net had been placed over it from the inside, possibly to keep out bugs or intruders, Peridot wasn't too sure. There was wire over the window that had been cut into the door. It hung in little pieces over the clouded glass and pricked Peridot's fingers whenever she reached for the door-handle. But Peridot knew by now that the door was unlocked and pushed it open with her shoulder. It creaked due to the added pressure of the tiny girl and eventually opened fully to show a dark, empty room. 

Shadows danced across the wooden floor of the room, and eventually receded into the darkness as Peridot closed the door and locked it. The girl stepped forward, slipping her boots off and placing them to the side where two other pairs of shoes and some miscellaneous flip-flops were sitting. Peridot didn't bother to clean them, only trudged onwards in her cotton socks, until eventually the wood receded to cold, sharp stone. The blonde haired girl curled her toes as the sudden change in flooring but carried on, determined to reach her destination so that she could finally rest. 

A stone door stood before her, tall and intimidating. A single gem was stuck in the middle, carved into the thick stone. It shone in the artificial light of the hallway, a bright pink colour contrasting with the dull grey. Peridot swallowed thickly, stood up straight and tapped on the door with enough force the make her knuckles ache. The sound of shuffling sounded from behind it. The creaking of someone lifting themselves off of a bed, the quiet slaps of bare flesh hitting the floor, and then the scraping of the door opening. Peridot took a few steps back, not wanting to get hit by the door. It hurt. A lot. She knew from experience and a certain purple-haired friend of hers. 

Peridot bowed her head as the woman revealed herself from her chambers. Her pink hair tumbled down her shoulders in thick curls, slightly messed up by Peridot could only guess was sleep. Her warm brown eyes met with Peridot's dull green ones and her plump lips pulled up into a smile when she registered who it was at her door at such a late hour. Her deep gaze eventually drifted over to the satchel still hung around the tiny girl and she slipped calmly out of the comfort of her own room to talk with her apprentice. 

"S-sorry if I woke you up" Peridot spoke first, her voice coming out as a bit wobbly. Whether this was due to nerves or tiredness she'd never know.

The woman only continued to smile as Peridot slowly took off the satchel and handed it over to her. She lifted up the flap of the bag and observed its contents, letting out a contented hum as she saw the goods. This noise indicated that she was pleased and Peridot immediately felt a lot calmer, her anxiety melting away into exhaustion. 

"Its no problem, really" came her reply. Her voice was soft and warm in contrast to Peridot's own high and nasally one. Her curls moved as she handed to beg back to the girl and rest a pale hand on the handle to her room, as if indicating that this conversation was over. "Thank you, Peridot. Would you please take this to the infirmary for me? That would be greatly appreciated, goodnight!" And with that she slipped back into her dark room and the sound of her groaning bed could be heard through the stone. 

All Peridot wanted to do right now was sleep but with the last of her strength, she forced her feet to move in the direction of the infirmary. It wasn't a far walk but her body was starting to shut off so she pressed on forward. The infirmary was a large room off to the side of the main one. It was almost all wooden sans for the stone flooring. The walls were covered in shelves and balanced upon those shelves were glass bottles of varying size, each holding a different type of herb, plant, seed, etc. Peridot scanned the bottles and began placing the things inside her satchel into the correct ones. Her tired eyes made it hard to focus but she knew if she messed up, there would be consequences so she forced her eyes open and carried on with her task in an almost trance-like state. 

Once she had finished, she stood up from her awkward crouching position on the ground and sighed as she heard her joints click. She stretched her sore limbs and slowly made her way to the back of the house. Her room was at the far end of the corridor, with a simple oaken door and furnished only with a bed in the far right corner and a desk with a small lamp placed to the side. As soon as Peridot closed the door she slipped off the goggles on her head and groaned as her bangs fell into her tired eyes. Next, the gloves came off and she took a moment to stare at her gaunt, pale hands, covered in tiny scars. A fresh one had appeared on her left palm and she picked at it as she finally made her way to her bed. Slipping off her suspenders and leaving herself in her loose shirt and boxer shorts, as pulled the covers over her body and rest her head on her pillow. And then everything faded to blackness as sleep took over her body. 

The feeling of a small hand on her shoulder made Peridot very aware that someone else was in her room. She groaned sleepily and turned over to face the wall, hoping that whoever was trying to wake her would get the message and leave her alone. Yet, the persistent hand only gripped her shoulder tighter. It shook her body and she swore at it, finally giving in and opening her eyes and looking over her shoulder at the chubby girl standing by her bed. Her dark eyes stared back, and her mouth was pulled into a grin as she gave Peridot one more shove. 

With a growl deep in her throat, she sat up and rubbed at her eyes, trying hard to get rid of the lingering exhaustion that was threatening to once again take over her. A quick glance out the window told her that she had only slept for a couple hours, which wasn't that drastic due to her already messed up sleeping schedule, but she was still mad that her sleeping time was once again being cut short by her friends dumb antics. Said friend only stood and smirked at her, waiting impatiently for Peridot to become fully awake before talking. 

It took everything in Peridot not to just roll over and ignore her. She knew that if she went with her that she was not going to get anymore sleep. And with a reluctant grumble she finally acknowledged her small friend. "What do you want now?" Her voice was monotone. She needed to get the message through her friends thick skull that waking her up at ungodly hours was not okay, and the only person who was allowed to do that was herself....and Rose. 

"Oh I'm sorry, were you sleeping?" Came her sarcastic reply, but before Peridot could even come through with her own, she continued "I found somethin' cool in the woods and I though you might be interested in checking it out with me" the girls excitement was obvious in the way she shuffled from foot to foot, never seeming to stop moving. 

Peridot sat dead still and contemplated the situation. "Do you know what time it is, Amethyst?" She asked, pinching the bridge of her nose, something she had come to do quite often around her friend. 

"No, do you?" Amethyst raised an eyebrow and grinned as she watched Peridot falter. 

"N-no" Peridot growled and shot daggers at the trespasser in her room "bu-but that doesn't matter. Its too early for this, go back to sleep and I'll go with you in the morning, okay?" She silently cursed for stuttering but she figured she'd gotten the message across just fine.

Apparently not. "Peridoooot" Amethyst groaned and leant against the bed frame. It creaked under the added weight and Peridot wanted to yell at her. "It can't wait that long! Just come with me now, it'll totally be worth it". 

The blonde girl eventually caved in, knowing that Amethyst wouldn't stop bothering her until she did what she wanted. "Fine, whatever" Peridot moved to shove the covers off her legs but froze when she realised Amethyst was still standing there. "W-wait outside for me, okay? I'm gonna get changed". 

Amethysts nodded "You better be tellin' the truth, Peri. You better no go back to sleep when I leave" she narrowed her eyes and dramatically backed out of the room. 

"Trust me, I'm wide awake now" Peridot grumbled and moved to slip on her suspenders. They were worn down and a dirt brown colour. Two pale patches had been sewn haphazardly onto the knees. They were still a little big on Peridot's small frame and she rolled them up and slipped on her boots, then exited the house to find Amethyst waiting by the edge of the woods with wild, excited eyes. 

She reached out a tanned hand and grabbed the sleeve of Peridot's shirt. Amethyst was surprisingly strong for someone who was smaller than Peridot. And although she wasn't as familiar with the undergrowth as Peridot was, she still confidently wound her way through the brush until they stopped at a clearing. 

There were no trees around, only tall grass, painted silver in the moonlight. A deep, flowing river ran through the middle, standing out like a cut on skin. Peridot didn't know where this was. This wasn't familiar to her and suddenly she felt insignificant. Inexperienced. Like she didn't know the area as well as she thought she did. She followed Amethysts numbly as they grew closer to the stream. It was outlined with large, flat rocks packed on top of each other in a sort of random way. Amethyst climbed on top of one and lay on it, facing up towards the sky. Peridot figured, what the hell, she may as well enjoy the view if she was going to be stuck here with Amethyst, and clambered clumsily onto the rock beside her. She lay on her back, ignoring the way the coldness seeped through her clothes and into her bones. 

The sky had grown into a navy blue colour, littered with tiny stars Peridot knew where far, far away in space. She stared up at them, wondering if they were still alive and glowing or if what she was truly looking at was the afterglow of a dying star traveling from thousands of billions of miles away. And once again, she closed her eyes and somehow manage to drift off. 

This time Amethyst didn't bother to wake her.


	2. Drowning for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peridot almost dies and meets a pretty blue woman for her troubles :')

sudden coldness came over Peridot's body. Icy tendrils seeped under her loose clothing, swirling around her skin, sending chills up her spine. Her body began to grow heavier, like a great weight was pulling her down and her mind became cloudy. Something cold and sharp touched the sensitive skin on her neck, tracing all the way down to her collar bone. Peridot's eyes flew open and she opened her mouth in a silent scream. And then she spluttered and quickly shut it again once she realised what was happening. She was underwater, floating through the abyss of dark blue. Well, not floating, it was more like sinking. And god she was sinking fast. Her eyes stung as she watched the last of her oxygen float away in tiny bubbles. Lungs aching and heart beating so fast she was sure it would explode, she began to flail her arms around in the hopes that she'd starting moving upwards.

Panic had started to set in as she saw black spots appear in the very corner of her vision. She opened her mouth again and it immediately filled with thick, slimy water. Coughing only made it worse and she grew hopeless as she continued to descend. Fear had taken over her body, leaving her heart thudding and her head light and airy. The dark spots had began to grow. Peridot knew this was the end for her and closed her eyes. The cold feeling on her skin didn't subside, it only grew stronger as she felt herself lose consciousness. 

Something wrapped around her arm and tugged her upwards. Its grip was tight and Peridot could feel what get like claws dig into her soft flesh. Her mind grew numb and soon enough, she fell out of consciousness. 

•

Lapis Lazuli had seen many, many things in her life, but two humans snoozing beside her river had been a somewhat pleasant surprise. She hasn't really encountered many the past couple decades, either because they knew of the legends that surrounded the lake itself, or it was too secluded to find. Well, that was until a small chubby girl had managed to find the lake whilst on what looked like a late night stroll. At first she had hesitantly stepped closer, but upon noticing running water and a great spot underneath the stars, she bounded over to check it out before leaving excitedly moments later. Lapis had been watching the whole thing from a cave not far from the clearing in which the river ran though. She knew she couldn't afford to be seen so she stayed silent as the girl came back with a friend. 

The other was a little taller than her companion, with crazy blonde hair pushed back by a pair of green tinted goggles. She wore a long green cape with a hood and underneath a shirt with suspenders. Her whole appearance looked a little dirty, even from where she sat Lapis could make out tiny stains both on her skin and clothing. The two seemed to be chatting as they walked, the taller a lot more slow, more reluctant. She seemed a bit irritated by her companions talking but eventually settled down on one of the large rocks. Lapis knew that rock well, it was her favourite place to sunbathe on a hot summers day. She felt a tinge of anger as she watched the human relax on top of it. 

After what felt like hours she crept out from her cave to inspect the situation further. The two humans were still there, except they were laying down and she couldn't see their faces anymore. They also didn't seem to be moving, the only thing that showed they were still alive was the faint rise and fall of their chests. Upon noticing that they had seemingly passed out, Lapis began to move closer, leaning against the rocks stacked at the bottom of the lake to get a closer look at the two mortals who had crossed her path. Her eyes immediately went to the taller. She was asleep, eyes shut delicately, mouth open, breathing deeply through it as she snored away. Half her body hung over the rock she was sleeping on, the bottom of her cape was dipped in the lake.

Lapis wanted to move her so that she wouldn't fall. She felt like if she didn't then the human would surely fall to her death, and Lapis didn't want that to happen. Even if humans were her natural enemy. Even if they were slowly tearing down her forests and paving over her lakes, she couldn't bring herself to think of what would happen if this sweet little human drowned at her hands. She looked so peaceful when she slept, her pale skin glowed in the moonlight, her dark clothes blending in with the shadows of the looming rocks around them. 

And then the human squirmed in her sleep. A look of fear was etched onto her face as she plunged into the icy depth of the river. Although it was just a river, Lapis knew that it was deep enough to drown a human. So she did the only thing she could at that moment. Dive in. The feeling of the cold water surrounding her tall form was comforting. She used her arms to dive down deeper. Her gills flared as she gasped and stopped swimming downwards. The human was wide awake now, her green eyes looked panicked, her arms flailed wildly and her mouth opened and closed, gasping for air. Her legs seemed to be anchoring her down, making her sink deeper and deeper into the dark depths. Lapis sped up as the humans eyes began to close. She wrapped her arms around her torso and starting to move upwards. Lapis knew she didn't have much time left before the human lost consciousness and drowned. She used all her strength to pull her up and as soon as they broke the surface, she lifted her out of the lake and onto the grass. 

The first thing she did was check if the human was still breathing. Placing a finned ear to her chest, she heard the slow stuttering heartbeat and sighed happily. She dragged the human back into the comfort of her cave and set her down on a small flat rock. Her clothes were soaking wet and stuck to her petite frame, her hair was dark and slimy and she looked paler than she should be. Her breathing sounded difficult and strained, tiny wheezes coming from her mouth every couple of seconds. Lapis wasn't sure what to do now. She didn't know enough about humans to know if something was still wrong. A good amount of water had entered her mouth, though, and Lapis knew that that was not good for humans. It seemed to be stunting her breathing so she propped the blonde up and some water trickled out from her blue lips. 

Lapis sat with the human until the sun came up over the horizon, constantly checking her pulse to make sure she was alive, and trying to help her get as much water out of her system as she could given the situation. At one point her strange purple haired friend woke up. Lapis could see her freeze when she noticed the blonde wasn't on the rock. Her eyes darted down to the lake and then into the wooded area that surrounded the clearing. 

"Peridot?!" She called out. Lapis supposed that was the name of the blonde human beside her. "Hey Peri, where are ya?" She continued to call out for her friend, and when she got no reply, decided to retreat back into the woods to search for her. 

The human next to her coughed violently and more water fell from her mouth and nose. She spluttered, coughing once again and opening her eyes. Her green gaze wavered, eyes cloudy and unfocused. She'd lost her goggles in the lake, Lapis noticed, as she ran a shaky hand through her damp blonde hair. Her other hand clutched her chest and she wheezed as she tried to pull herself up from her position on the cave floor. Lapis shuffled back, arms out to help her if need be. It took a while for the human to register the other presence in the cave. Only when she lifted her head did she see the Lapis. Her eyes widened and she tried to move backwards but her back hit the wall so instead she patted down her soaking pockets in search for something. Her trembling hands were wrapped around a small pocketknife, she slipped it out and held it in front of her.

"D-don't come any closer!" She warned, although her intimidating facade crumbled almost immediately. Her shaking hands and wide eyes gave away her true fear, and Lapis tried to give her a reassuring smile as she placed a warm hand on her own. Peridot flinched at the contact and the sudden movement made her blue hands drop the knife. She shivered. 

She was cold, Lapis realised. The blue woman held up a finger, a silent plea for her to calm down and wait for a second. And then she stood up and stumbled to the back of the cave. Peridot frantically looked around, trying to figure out where she was. She was in a cave, cold and wet, and in front of a creature she never thought she'd see in her lifetime. Honestly she'd thought they'd gone extinct but apparently not. She wondered how much money she'd be awarded if she handed the creature in. And then remembered that she could never show her face to a Diamond ever again. She sighed and accepted her fate. She was probably going to be eaten by the thing, best get it over and done with now. 

Lapis returned with an armful of blankets and set them down on the dirt floor. She picked up a the cleanest looking one in the pile and held it up to Peridot with a big smile on her face. Peridot reluctantly took it and wrapped it around her trembling body. And then stopped. Her face blanched. 

"Um. Thanks for the hospitality, really, but this isn't going to hep if my clothes are all wet" she choked out, her face turning a little red. 

The creature seemed to process this, her blue eyes staring at the human. She nodded her head and turned to venture further into the cave. Peridot coughed and heaved up another mouthful of water. She thought she noticed a red hue coming from it but decided to ignore it. Lapis returned and threw a pile of clothing at her feet. The blonde slowly bent forward and rummaged through them. She figured she could fit into most of the garments, one advantage of being so small she supposed. Peridot picked out a cream coloured shirt, a long sleeved jacket covered in patches and some old ripped trousers. Letting the blanket fall from her shoulders, she began to unbutton her wet shirt but stopped when she noticed the creature staring. 

"Hey, do you mind?" Peridot snapped. 

Lapis tilted her head to the side in confusion. Peridot huffed, her cheeks growing darker. 

"Can I please have some privacy while I change?" She asked as politely as she could. 

This time Lapis nodded and walked out of the cave. The distant sound of splashing filled Peridot's ears and suddenly, everything came back to her. Her falling off the rock and into the lake. The arms that had wrapped around her and pulled her up to safety. This thing had saved her. And what did she do? Snap at her? Peridot grunted as she slipped on the dry shirt and continued to take off her suspenders and boots, replacing them with the trousers and a pair of shoes she'd found at the bottom of the clothing pile. Once she had changed, she wrapped the blanket around her body and stood up. Her head swam and her vision blurred and a feeling of nausea overwhelmed the blonde as she tried to stumble towards Lapis. 

Her legs ended up giving way and she fell onto the grass and focused on trying not to throw up as Lapis noticed her presence and came to see if she was okay. Peridot felt awful, her vision refused to focus, her head throbbed and her lungs still felt like they were filled with water. She wasn't sure how she was going to get back. Surely Amethyst would come back to look for her if she realised hadn't gone back to their house. Surely she'd come back and get help. 

Warm hands wrapped around her shoulders and tugged her up. Her weak body leant against Lapis' and she guided her back towards the safety of the cave. Peridot felt like crying. She felt so sick. She was in so much pain. She whimpered as Lapis set her back down and disappeared once again. This time she didn't come back for a while. 

This is it, Peridot thought bitterly. This is how I'm going to die. In a cave in the middle of nowhere with a pretty blue lady who looks like she could kill me any second. The blonde closed her eyes and passed out with the lingering feeling of dread and a sudden sharp jolt of anxiety.


End file.
